What's it all about?

After much confusion about the purpose of these blogs to the point where I felt my head was about to explode, I decided it was necessary to listen to the Jamaicans and "Just Breath". Funnily enough, oxygen is really handy in getting the brain to think harder! Who knew!?! So, with this new found attitude, I decided to find some inspiration by working my way through the entire Networked Media Blogging Assessment Outline (yes I know, it's only 2 pages long but I still couldn't get my head around it).

What I concluded from this were that there were a number of things I needed to be doing in order to get a HD at the end of all this palava. This included:

• Producing regular blog entries (at least 5 per week)


• Writing blogs that critically engage with the course content (i.e exploring different viewpoints and methods for the topics we cover each week)


• Engaging with the course content in a way that discusses any problems or ideas I encounter along the way and why this was the case.


• And finally, the blogs should be a documentation of our learning progression throughout the semester demonstrating how we have overcome problems in order to move our education further forward.

To add to this, I checked out one of our first NM readings, Blogging Thoughts by Torill Mortensen and Jill Walker. In the article, Mortensen and Walker quote one of the Blogger creators, Evan Williams who says

the blog concept is about three things: Frequency, Brevity, and Personality

Frequency is self-explanatory. Basically that you keep up regular blog posts preferrably daily. The aim of this I believe is to assist bloggers in developing a consistent tone and style which is important in setting yourself apart from the millions of other blog invaders out there.

Brevity is the concise and exact use of words in writing I.E no warbling/waffling/long-winded speeches about cats. This writing style is what sets blogs apart from other written documents like essays or thesisses.

Finally, personality is the ability of a writer to express their views and beliefs through their writing in an individual and original way. This too is important in distiniguishing yourself from the rest of the blogging population. It is also necessary in creating a bond between you and your readers. Whereas other pieces of writing may be presented in an objective way, the blog should be entirely subjective so as to entice your target audience in and invite them to agree or disagree with the ideas and thoughts we present.

SO, with all this in mind I definitely feel much better about the direction that this blog is heading. Be prepared to read something tomorrow that is short, sharp, witty and full of personality. Until then, don't worry. Be happy!

Mindblank...

Ok so no I'm not an idiot or a complete techno-loser but I seriously can not remember the process of converting one of your photos from your desktop onto a website. I got as far as opening the image into Photoshop and saving it under the "Save for web devices" category but that's as far as I could remember. Will get back to this soon.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly...

In line with Quentin Tarantino's Hitler, all I want to do this morning is scream

"NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN!!!

OK, phew, its alright, I've got it out of my system now.

Now, you are probably all wondering what the hell is wrong with me if I am simulating the behaviour of a fictional/real historical evil mastermind, particularly when this is supposed to be an optimist's haven, but I could not honestly believe my eyes when I picked up The Age this morning.


You're probably wondering what the hell is wrong with me. Isn't it good that China has just signed a $50 billion deal with Australia in which PetroChina will purchase 2.25 million tonnes a year of West Australian LPG Gas over a 20 year period? Isn't it beneficial to our economy in these tough times considering the project will be worth 5 per cent of the nation's gross domestic product? And won't it help you personally considering your dad works for Woodside in the oil and gas sector?

The answer to all these questions is most definitely a "Ja, Ja" and another big "Ja" but unlike everyone else in this country, I am seeing the downsides to this agreement which are very likely to occur.

Firstly, 20 years is a long time and as we have seen, a lot of things can change within that time period. For instance, entire economies can crash in less than a day, dictatorships can rise and fall and terrorists can singlehandedly cause the complete reformation of the way we think about our international defence strategies. Therefore, how on earth can we gauruntee that in 20 years time, we will still have enough gas to supply China and then us as well. I know that hundred hours of research is put into this but we know from past experience that no amount of scientific research is fool-proof for the future.

Secondly, what are the ecological benefits of this exchange? Why isn't China paying us $50 billion to produce the first solar panel field that can produce more than 80 gigawatts/hour? (that is currently the world record from the Parque Fotovoltaico Olmedilla de Alarcón in Spain) The answer to this is because in the end, it is so much easier to build one pipe into the earth's core and suck up a whole load of gas then construct solar panels spanning across hundreds of square kilometres. Sad really that we're so lazy don't you think?

Finally, I believe this deal was orchestrated more to prove that China and Australia's diplomatic ties are still strong despite all the controversy caused by the Melbourne International Film Festival's screening of The 10 Conditions of Love, a documentary about "the life of a fearless woman who has paid a terrible price for becoming an international symbol of her nation’s struggle". Frankly, I think $50 billion could make a lot of people forget about Chinese film directors pulling out the festival in protest or hackers replacing the entire MIFF website with an animated waving flag and the words

"We like film,but we hate Rebiya Kadeer!
We like peace,and we hate East Turkistan terrorist!
Please apologize to all the Chinese people!
Hacked by oldjun!"

I have never been a big fan of the Chinese government and you can probably guage this from this blog's tone but I want to reassure you that no I am not on the latest anti-anti-depressant recently released on the market (I don't think one actually exists so don't bother looking for one). I am merely attempting to make you all see the other side to today's top story. Whilst superficially this agreement between the Chinks and the Ockers is a good deal, I think we seriously need to look at the bigger picture in terms of where this world is heading and why major contracts like these are only proving to make our current economical and environmental situations worse.

On a lighter yet less enlightened note however, I fully support the government's achievements in creating nearly 6000 jobs and also ensuring my Dad will keep his job at least for the next 20 years.

So with that, I bid you all good day and remember, don't worry. Be Happy!

Flaming firebombs!

Anyone who happened to pick up today's Herald Sun would have immediately been created with the gruelling image of a fire truck desperately racing away from an enraging furno. The front page boldly reads "Nobody Was In Charge". The following story on page 4 detailed the latest developments of the Royal Inquiry into the Februaru 7 "Black Saturday" Bushfires.

Now I know I'm treading water in dangerous shark infested seas right now due to the emotional ties that come with the mention of this tragedy but I'm sorry, I just can not stand by and not voice my positive opinions on this story.

For those of you that know me, I am a huge advocate for being eco-conscious. I actively recycle, take public transport or walk instead of using the car, have a major obsession with turning all the lights out in the house before I leave it (which drives my mother berseck), and I am constantly badgering my friends about their anti-eco friendly practices (like my best friend who goes out of her way to annoy me by driving to the cinema instead of catching the train). The result of all this is that I am constantly aware of the devastating effects that global warming IS (yes i am using the present tense) having on our world and am not as shocked about events like the "Black Saturday" bushfires as other people who do not believe global warming is something that will happen to them in this lifetime.

Ok so now you're probably thinking, hang on I thought this was supposed to be positive? I don't want to feel bad about my fuel-guzzling 4X4 which I use to drive the 400m walk to the shops every day. Or the fact that I spend 20 minutes in the shower because hot water all over my body just makes me feel soooo good in the morning.

Well, yes you have a right to feel wary at my attitude towards these *cough*selfish*cough* acts, but let me tell you this.

Front page news, like today's, detailing the "horror" of such catastrophic events like the "Black Saturday" bushfires, only prove to the reader that global warming is happening. You can not deny it now. Yes it was easy 4 years ago to witness the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in the US and the wreckage left behind by the 2004 tsunami in Bali because it wasn't happening on our soil. Like everything else in human life, things become so much easier to deal with when we can say "Oh, it will never happen to me". Well people, its time to wake up and smell the sulfure because Black Saturday I believe, can officially be declared Australia's first example of the effects of climate change on our planet.

So the good news? The good news from this ladies and gentlemen is that it is not too late. Scientists believe that if we can reduce our carbon emissions by 70% in the next century, then we will be able to avoid all the devastating effects of climate change that WILL happen if we do not do something. This means making small lifestyle changes (I say small in the sense that making such changes really wouldn't have that big an impact on your life in comparison to having to deal with 100m sea level rises). Here's what you can do:

1. Walk/cycle/tram it/swim to work - cutting out driving eliminates 0.8 TONNES (yes that 800kilos) of carbon emissions.


2. Eating more vegies - Producing 1kg of beef results in more CO2 emissions than going for a three-hour drive while leaving all the lights on at home.


3. Swith Off! - using electricity in the home generates around 20% of the world's overall greenhouse gas emissions.


4. Finally, become more conscious of your overall energy useage - knowing how much energy you use around the house will effectively assist you in be able to work out ways in which to reduce this consumption

These are just a small number of steps we can integrate into our daily lifestyle to prevent future natural disasters like the "Black Saturday" bushfires. They are easy to implement and as you can tell, are all healthy alternatives for your current way of living.

So, my fellow readers, I know that I will have taken your emotions through the wringer today but I assure you, global warming is not something to panic about. If it takes us 100 years to create the damage we are seeing in the world right now, then it will just as easily take that long to undo it.

In closing, make a stand. Don't let the tragedy of "Black Saturday" unfold again this summer. And most importantly, don't worry. Be happy!

A happy heartwarming story about something not so heartwarming...

I was particularly excited to hear today (more for the fact that my hometown of Perth had actually done something worthwhile for a change) of the landmark case involving Christian Rossiter, a quadriplegic who finally was awarded the right to refuse medical treatment that may result in his death.

I don't know why, cases like this don't usually concern me or strike me as momentous as I don't really have an opinion on them, but I think because a case of this magnitude was made in my hometown, I felt more compelled to put a positive spin on it.

Now I know you'll be thinking "But it's already got a happy ending!". Not necessarily. See, for the next few months or so whilst this case still rolls through the media, protests, strikes and complaints will all be made against the decision and more than likely, somebody will try to reverse the judgement.

I think this would be an act of inhumanity. People all around the world die every day of disease, famine, illness or by natural disaster. Now, I know for a fact that you don't see these anti-euthanasia protestors fighting against government agencies, chain supermarkets or Mother Nature. So why, when it comes to something like this, when a human being actually has the choice over how they wish to leave this world, do we present resistance?

Whilst I don't agree with suicide, I do believe that when a person has absolutely no choice over their future, be it due to sickness or any other situation, they should be allowed the right to end things their won way.

I think this case will be the catalyst for what will hopefully be a revolution of modern society's ways of thinking.

Police poised for new strip search powers...I mean, street searchpowers...

Oh this one was just too good not to do.

For those of you that don't know me, I am madly, crazy, gooishly (yes I did just make up my own word in a blog), in love with the opposite sex (i.e the male variety) and relish any chance I can get to grab a sneak peek of said species' anatomy. Hence why I spend a lot of time at the beach with all my clothes on staring at "the sea".

What relevance does this have to do with the Victorian Government's latest crackdown on the latest spite in knife attacks within the Melbourne CBD? Well, according to The Age, under new laws, police forces will now receive the authority to stop and search anyone they please in a designated area of their choosing.

THAT BASICALLY MEANS TELLING REALLY, REALLY HOT GUYS TO GET THEIR KIT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET!!!!

Ok, so it's probably not as risqué as that but I'm sure if they were really suspicious of somebody, they wouldn't just allow them the walk off with a quick pat down and a "be good now you hear" from Sergeant Plod.

No, no. My vision of these new laws goes something along the lines of this:
A trio of really, really hot guys (aka, Wentworth Miller, Channing Tatum and Chace Crawford lookalikes), are walking through Federation Square with one of them displaying an odd bulge in his left front pocket (no ladies, not THAT kind of bulge). Anyway, Detective Sergeant Williams asks the boys to step over here quietly for a quick "search". Having been unable to produce anything resembling the suspicious bulge, the kind policeman asks oh lets say the Chace Crawford lookalike just for fun, to take off his shirt so that he can be certain he is not carrying any suspicious weapons.

The shirt comes off and BAM!. Yes, that ladies and gentlemen, is the sound of a hundred female jaws hitting the pavement of Fed Square in awe of this picturesque replica of the male figure. From there, the man is searched with nothing resembling the "bulge" (ok so maybe it was THAT kind of bulge) and the policeman quietly apologises informing CC that he is free to go. The men depart, leaving behind a hundred women all looking like they are attempting to catch snow flakes on their tongues in the middle of summer.

And that my loyal readers, is why you should not despair at yet another attempt to limit our rights to lawful protest but rejoice in the slim chance that you may get a really hot guy to flash his pecs.

Until next time, loyal readers, don't worry. Be happy!

Krikey! Even the koalas are at it!

Today's shocking news for all was most definitely the sudden and unjustly premature death of Sam the Koala, the cute bundle of fluff that attracted audience's attention around the world to the devastating effects of the Black Saturday Bushfires.

But bizarely enough, Sam did not die of what one would assume a koala would naturally die from(whatever that may be). Apparently, their is an STD epidemic amongst the koala population and this more than any other form of diseases is what's causing their demise. According to Professor Peter Timms from the Queensland University of Technology, nearly 40-50% of the Australian(i'm not sure if there is another country they herald from) Koala population is infected with Chlamydia.

So what could possibly be my positive spin on this? I can hear you sigh. If bloody koalas can't learn how to role a rubber, than what hope do 16 year old boys have in the dark after a few too many VB's?

Personally, I think that there is an opportunity here for some great advertising. Think about it. You walk into the chemist. You're trying your best to avoid the glaring stares of that kooky eyed Nanna buying Tena incontinence pads in Aisle 6 and shuffle hastily towards the condom section. Inundated with the amount of choice at your fingertips, you reach for a packet with an unintimidatingly cute picture of Sam the Koala on the front. Walking proudly towards the counter instead of desperately trying to hide your intended purchase, you approach the desk clerk who smiles at you when she realises what you've bought. A little more confident now, you may even try to flirt with her, saying something along the lines of "I'm no koala. I wear a condom".

From there on, the possibilities are endless. Sexual Health clinics will display posters of Sam photoshoppically holding a packet of condoms in his paw with the tag line "Don't end up like I did. Wear protection" written underneath. Mobile STD Awareness groups that travel to schools will use a stuffed toy version of Sam to mime out how to put on a condom. And teenagers across the country will converse about their weekend saying "Yeah I slept with that really hot chick from biology". "Did you use protection?". "Yeah of course mate. What you take me for? A fuckin' koala?".

The list goes on and on.

So, readers, whilst again I have approached the touchy subject of death to brighten up your day, I hope you all understand that despite Sam unfortunate passing, their really is a silver lining to the cloud. All that needs to happen is some smart-arse PR geek smacks a few pictures on a condom packet and voila, a safe sex campaign featuring none other than Sam the Koala.

That's all for today folks. Until next time, don't worry. Be happy!!

All Is Not In Vain...

Ok, so, probably not the best day to start an optimist's blog based on daily front page news. Today, I had a choice between the Somali Islamists foiled suicide terrorism raid and the death of a 2 year old girl called Hayley. Naturally, I chose The Herald Sun's coverage of the brutal, violent attack on an innocent infant.

What's that you say? My logic fails you? Yes, I'm not surprised. Most people would probably have chosen the exciting story of the Australian Army valiantly outsmarting the evil Somali Islamists with their wit and skill but my fair readers, I do not want you to think of me as merely a passive optimist. My job is to find the good in even the most terrible of situations, including that of the death of little Hayley.

For those of you who did not read this morning's article on the story, "darling two year-old Hayley" was brutally bashed in her home over one month ago and on Sunday, died as a result of severe brain damage caused by the incident. To make the situation even more tragic, her grandfather has just announced that his step-son, Hayley's father, committed suicide immediately following the charge laid against him regarding the offence. Her grandfather claims her dad was not the culprit.

Heavy stuff. But here's the good news.

Firstly, feel happy and safe in knowing that you live in a perfectly, non-violent family where bashing and violent outbursts are restricted to insults thrown at the footy on a Saturday afternoon. If, however, you do come from a family with a troubled history, take comfort in the fact that as a result of Hayley's death, your life might just become a little bit better.

In today's arcticle, Child Safety Commissioner Bernie Geary has pledged a "frank and fearless" inquiry into the handling of the Hayley's situation with the Child Protection Services. This means the entire system are about to get a kick up their backside. The good news with this is that Australian Child Protection Services will finally receive the overhaul they have so rightly deserved for the past 10 years.
As a result, inquiries into acts of domestic violence and claims of abuse will be taken more seriously so that deaths, like Hayley's, will become a thing of the past.

So, readers, I plead with you. Yes, shed a tear for little Hayley. But remember, that out of every tragedy their is no reason to let death go in vain. Whilst Hayley's death is a sad fact of life when it shouldn't have to be, the good news is that her death has created a major neon signing pointing right at the Child Protection Services saying "This Needs Work". And the major people involved in this issue are now taking notice.

That's all for today readers. Remember, don't worry, be happy!